Not The Same
by Nadreth
Summary: Set after the movie, entirely Tron/Rinzler's POV. :I am not sure who I am, breaking free again is an odd experience, I'm not sure what to do with it.:
1. REPURPOSED

**REPURPOSED  
><em>Prelude<em>**

* * *

><p><em>I am pinned on my front by shackles attached to a table, I can see Clu out of the edge of my vision fiddling with my disk.<em>

_"You must stop this, Flynn has been distracted but that's no reason for this." It is my last desperate attempt to reason with Clu._

_"No, he's betrayed me...he betrayed you, you're just too blindly loyal to see it."_

_"You're wrong."_

_Clu doesn't say anything he just stands and approaches me with the disk._

_"Clu - for the sake of our friendship - please!"_

_"Tron, these human concepts were your undoing."_

_And then the disk is clipped into place._

_I can't see or think beyond a refusal to give in, I can feel parts of my code ripping apart and reforming into something new._

_I am vaguely aware that I am screaming, but I pay the noise no mind, I am focused on my one and only purpose, I fight for the users, I must focus on this and refuse to let go._

_But even as this singular thing sticks with me I know I am losing other things fundamental to my very being._

_I do not know how long it has been when the pain finally relinquishes; Clu is standing over me - he's unclipped the disk that betrayed me._

_He reaches down and turns my head and I don't have the energy to jerk my head back as I would like to._

_"We will have to add a helmet I think..." he muses aloud._

_"Please," I manage to choke the word out and I find my voice sounds distorted._

_"What's your name?" he asks me a faint smile playing on his lips._

_Name? Do I have a name? I must have but I can't remember it, fear slides through me as I stare up at Clu._

_"No?" his smile grows, "What do you know?"_

_"I - I fight for the users - for Flynn."_

_Clu scowls, "He's not coming for you, you know this don't you?"_

_I stare up at him confused._

_"What can I do to make you give in? You probably don't even remember Yori, and yet you cling to Flynn."_

_"Yori?" the name feels like I should know it and a flash of guilt seizes me._

_"See!" he seems exasperated._

_I draw in a shaking breath and eye the other program, I understand I will loose Flynn as well soon. "Master, no one can know who I was."_

_"Why do you care? You don't even remember who you were."_

_"It would...I would be pitied - I should be feared," I don't know if that's true but it sounds right, in all honesty I'm not sure why I'm asking for this._

_"Very well, I will ensure that they never know, but you must give into this or you will kill yourself resisting like this."_

_"I will give," I speak slowly I barely have the energy for speech._

_I open my eyes and scan the room for my Master, the helmet between me and everything else feels right, everything feels right._

_"Rinzler," a voice comes from the seat across the room from me and I cross to my Masters side, "Look at them Rinzler - look at the great ISOs - they have no idea what is happening, no idea that you are coming to derezz them."_

_I tilt my head and feel my processes grinding faster, I am pleased - I will destroy these for my Master, as I am meant to, as I was always meant to._

* * *

><p>system reboot...

...

...

...ERROR incompatible data files...

/reboot

...

I wake on the shore of the sea, water laps at my side and I pull myself into a seated position slowly.

I find slow movements are all I am currently capable of, the circuitry I can see on my hand is flickering rapidly between orange and a pale blue.

I know what this means, my programming is at war with itself, there are too many contradicting commands.

I do not know how long I sit there, cycles most likely, the energy of the sea seems to keep me sustained simply by touching it.

I must go through each command, each prompt, every piece of myself, and choose which command will be left unfrozen in each contradicting case.

A hand lands on my shoulder and I move on instinct, I am standing and holding my disks before I recognize Sam Flynn.

He's smiling and doesn't move for his disk, he reaches out a hand and tell me he was hoping I'd be alive.

I know I am dangerous and that Sam should not trust me, but I follow anyways, I have no one else.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I apologize for the long pause in the writing of this story. I in my rush to publish further chapters did things with chapter three I don't particular like. I rewrote small parts of the previous two chapters and rewrote the third chapter entirely. The first two chapters are essentially the same, I added the Rinzler repurposing stuff as part of the new prelude instead of part of chapter three. So possibly re-read but you don't have to. But you will have to disregard the third chapter as it didn't go where I wanted it to._

__So to those who've read this for a while this is part of the rewrite, to the new comers...I'll try to update – but I suck at it so...sorry about that._  
><em>


	2. A NEW DAY

**A NEW DAY**_  
><em>**_Chapter One_**

* * *

><p>I am not the same as the program I once was. I was Tron, I was once the greatest security program ever written.<p>

But then Clu happened. He took my code, twisted it removed chunks here and there, added new lines in. I resisted, I remember that much, but eventually I lost Tron, became Rinzler as he wanted.

And now I am not sure who I am, breaking free again is an odd experience, I'm not sure what to do with it.

Life is not exactly easy since Clu died, the other programs still fear me, I'm not surprised, I derezzed more than I can count in my time as Rinzler.

Sam visits often, he works on the grid with as much passion as his father ever did. He asks me why I don't just take off my helmet, return to being Tron.

So I show him, Clu did not leave me unharmed on the outside either, my face like the rest of me is covered in scars, I explain to Sam that it's from Clu removing code and adding his own in. He did so with little care and so it marred me.

He offers to fix me, I shake my head and I have to stop myself from backing away from the user.

I tell him I deserve this anyway, punishment.

He tells me what I did was not my fault, but I know that's not true, I could have kept fighting Clu's attempts to mold me, it should have taken much longer. But I gave up eventually when I realized it would happen anyways, when I realized Kevin was not coming to save me.

So now I follow Sam Flynn around as he fiddles with the Grid, he is freeing all the programs enslaved by Clu to start. The programs mostly stare in awe, but none will come close with me here.

* * *

><p>I watch as Sam fiddles with a programs Identity disk, and I smile slightly as I watch it ebb from orange back to blue. Sam carefully turns the program back around and let's it rest a moment while he moves on to the next. He seems tireless though I know he's not, I know he is once again staying here too long and that Alan1 will have to reopen the portal. At least Sam let's others know when he comes here unlike his father ever did.<p>

A brief light catches my eye, someone in the shadows I tilt my head scanning for any further signs. Only a moment later a program jumps towards Sam.

She doesn't make it far, I catch the fool thing with my leg and slam it to the ground. In the time she could blink I had her pinned, my identity disk held at her neck.

Sam carefully finishes what he's working on before he even looks over. He is gentle and very careful with the programs, meticulous, he does not want to accidentally cause them harm.

When he has finished he walks over and frowns down at the program. "Why are you attacking me?"

"You're a User, you killed Clu, stopped his perfection, we should have control of our own system."

A snarl escapes my mouth, I can't help it, fanatics like her set my code on edge. She looks back up at me eyes full of fear.

"Call off your dog Flynn face me yourself," her voice sounds shrill.

Sam looks at me and waves his hand "Come Tron, it'll be okay."

I shake my head adamantly, and respond in that rasping voice I hate so much, "we should derezz it now."

"Tron," she sneers at Sam, "you renamed your pet."

Sam sighs and looks insistently at me.

"Wait," she stares up at me, "why didn't I put this together sooner, you were Tron. It all makes sense now."

And before I can process what I'm doing my disk has come down on her and she's gone.

I twist to my feet, nearly as surprised by my actions as Sam is.

"Why did you do that, why would you do that?"

I clip my Idenity disk into place and stare down at my hand, "I'm not sure."

Sam steps just a little closer to me "list primary program goals."

"0 - Fight to protect the the system, 1 - Keep free will for self and system, 00 - Fight for the users, 2222 - Follow Program Clu's every command (frozen), 01 - Search and derezz virus's, spyware, and other harmful programs, 3333 - If any but Master knows identity derezz, 10 - Users-"

"Thank you, that will do, freeze code 3333 Tron if you wish to stop derezzing anyone you don't consider a Master that is..." Sam looks slightly disturbed.

I nod and turn away, simply freeing myself was not enough...

"Sam," I look towards the voice and then turn away, it is Alan1, and I feel glad Sam has agreed not to tell my creator that I am what is left of his creation.

"Hey Alan, am I late again?"

"Quite late actually it's almost dinner time."

I begin to herd the programs Sam hasn't free'd yet back into holding cells.

"Sam, go ahead I'll be right there," my creator says in the voice that was once mine as well.

Sam frowns slightly then nods.

"I know it's you Tron," Alan1 is looking right at me.

"Sam Flynn told you," I look away.

"No, but did you really think I wouldn't recognize my own creation?"

"I hoped Alan1."

"I would offer to fix you, but I don't think I could, you've grown too much, you're as complicated as Quorra now."

I am confused, yet I can feel a warmth inside like I've just had an energy boost. Happy.

"Goodbye Alan1, it is an honor to speak with you program to pro-" I stop, "program to user."

I turn and leave, I have someone to meet up with while the users eat.

* * *

><p>I stand on the edge of a cliff and look out at the vast planes, off the grid. That is where I go, I pull out my light-cycle and turn it on flinging myself from the cliff as I do so, I am in the air and then I land sliding easily along the ground, and weaving through the rocks.<p>

There is something freeing about this, riding to get somewhere, not trying to derezz anyone or anything.

It takes me some time to reach my goal. When I do it is a simple stone face, or so it seems.

I press a hidden lever and make my way up a small set of steps that are sliding into visibility out of the stone face.

Inside a man sits on a cushion a black robe draped about him. He is just as I left him.

I am not the only program having an Idenity crisis. Kevin Flynn is also having problems. When Quorra left with his disk, and Flynn attempted reintegration it had unexpected repercussions. Flynn and Clu were not destroyed, they blended.

So not only is Kevin no longer a user, he has mixed with a program of his own creation.

"Rinzler?" the voice asks.

More Clu then Flynn right now then.

"Yes Master," the words are automatic at this point even if the code that originally forced me to say them is frozen.

"We've begun to reach true blending Rinzler, Flynn has almost re-explained perfection entirely, this new one is an easier process to run."

I simply nod, I have no idea what he means, but it sounds as though Flynn has calmed Clu, they are almost one.

"What will you call yourself Master?"

"He laughs, what do you call yourself, Rinzler or Tron?"

"Neither, both."

"There you go then."

"I derezzed someone today, one of your fanatics."

"Ah, she attacked Sam?"

"Yes, but that wasn't why, though I was hoping Sam would let me anyways."

"Then why?"

"Code line 3333, it's frozen now."

"Ah, that's right, you asked me for that line, do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

"You said to me Master, no one can know who I am, I believe you argued it would make you pitied instead of feared," Clu-Flynn smiles faintly, "I think that was the last freewill invoked request I heard you make until now."

"Yes, until my code righted itself that was the last request I made out of freewill."

"You know that's probably why it didn't freeze," he pauses and looks at me very sharply, "you've left code 1011 frozen haven't you?"

"Yes, returning to trying not to derezz programs unless there was absolutely no other option was inefficient, I could not protect Sam properly if I unfroze it," I look at him, "If I'd thought like this earlier perhaps I would have stopped you?"

"But then you wouldn't have been Tron."

"That is true," I look away and sigh, "but now I'll never be Tron again, not truly."

"You are not simply Rinzler either though, we are both somewhere in between."

I nod slowly understanding his words, "When do you plan to reveal yourself to Sam?"

"In time," he says looking away.

"He thinks you were derezzed."

"I know."

A ringing sound echoes through my head and I suddenly stand, "I must go, another virus."

"There's always so many when he hooks the grid up to the internet tell him he should not do that."

"I'll be back Master."

"You know, you don't have to call me that anymore."

"I'm not sure what else I'd call you," I speak the words softly, and then move quickly out of the room.

* * *

><p>I wait patiently atop the building watching the programs below wander about their business, and then I see it, the virus has a sickly green tinge to it and odd fractured lines, I position myself carefully and then jump, my identity disks held in either hand coming down on the virus.<p>

It rolls to the side but one of my disks glances off it and I pull myself into a standing position, most of the programs run, but a couple stay to watch from a distance. The virus pulls a strange looking device, 'axe' the word pops into my mind.

I move around him slowly and he charges at me wildly, I side-step easily and my disks come down on his back. As the virus shatters I sigh, it's been some time since I've had a good fight.

I turn and walk away reaching for my light-cycle as I move.

* * *

><p>Sam is fiddling as usual with the programs, freeing them. He has not yet created any programs of his own, and I suspect what happened with Clu has much to do with this.<p>

Quorra never comes with Sam, I can't say I blame her, she's free of a place where all her people were killed. A place where I killed her people, I'd never come back either.

I turn away from the User, stand and study the area, open, quiet, but something was amiss.

I tilted my head and then I heard it, louder than the grinding noise of my own programming, there was the whine of an engine coming from behind me.

Protect Sam.

I run to the user and pull him to the ground, "stay down."

And with that I was up again watching the approaching craft.

"Where is he? Every other program I've passed tells me this is where I find Sam Flynn, so where is he, tell me program."

I'm frowning though the imperious little thing can't tell, the rattle in my chest gets louder as I reach for my disks.

He is staring at me in confusion, not fear, does he not know who I am?

"What are you doing?" he asks.

Finally I speak, "this area is restricted access, step out of your transport and remove all weapons including your identity disk."

"Look I just want to talk with the guy, I'm a user too," he smiles at me.

I take a half step back, but then I recall Kevin's words, Sam's words, and Clu's words, the users are not perfect, they don't know what they are doing any better than us.

I decide he's resisting, I do not like this man, reminds me of Jarvis, I move to his vehicle and drag him out of it with one arm, I drop him to the ground and hold him in place with one foot while I remove his identity disk.

Then I stand and drag him across the ground towards Sam the man is whining and sniveling at me now that I have him.

"Flynn. He says he's a user," I can feel the man twitch at the harsh noise that crackles around my voice.

Sam stands and peers down, then suddenly, "Dillinger, Edward Dillinger!"

My eyes widen and I am glad for the helmet, I shake the man, "As in creator of the MCP."

"No!" Sam corrects quickly "this is his son."

"We should derezz him."

"No Tron, you can't keep doing this, your first reaction should not be to derezz."

The logic formula flows through my mind and I look back up at Sam. "This was not my first reaction, it is my conclusion given fact. You are much like your father, it's reasonable to assume it would stand with him as well."

"Look we can find out exactly what he's up to, put him in a holding cell and we can take a look at his disk."

"Very well, but if it is your life he is after I will derezz him Sam Flynn, for your own safety."

"What is derezz, killing?" Dillinger Junior looked frantic, "Sam, I'm one of your employees don't leave me with this thing!"

"You're not even supposed to be here," Sam informed him in a cool tone, and then he turned away, musing over the disk.

* * *

><p>"It was an accident Tron, he didn't mean to come here."<p>

"He accidentally jumped worlds," I am dubious.

"I did the first time, besides he's a good programmer, he could help me."

"Fine," I mutter annoyed, "but he so much as looks out of line and he's done."

"You know," Sam mused "you're a lot different than how my dad described you when I was a kid."

I look away "I was different, but the cycles change all."

* * *

><p>"Dillinger's son eh?" Flynn-Clu mused, "I don't like this, I don't like it at all."<p>

"I agree, but Sam won't let me derezz him."

"You can't derezz people because you don't like them."

"I do not want to derezz him because I dislike him, I wish to derezz him because he is likely dangerous."

"You don't know that for sure though."

"Why risk it?"

"Because, killing people is wrong."

"Yet when I derezz a program no one cares."

"Sam does."

"From his reaction I believe he would be more upset if I derezzed a User."

"I don't think so, but Tron you need to calm yourself, all Sam wants from you is for you to try and not derezz first before trying anything else."

"I thought you do not like this new User."

"I don't know him, I just didn't like his father."

"What should I do then?"

"Keep an eye on him," Flynn-Clu decided, "But unless he becomes a threat do not derezz him.

* * *

><p>It has been 100 cycles and I have watched this Dillenger every moment he spends in the Grid. He seems thrilled by all of this and has not once asked about my part in his fathers fall, I suspect he does not know of my involvement.<p>

"Why do you follow me everywhere?" he asks suddenly looking up from his work on the building he is repairing.

"I do not trust you."

"Why?"

"You are a Dillenger, your father created the MCP, the MCP caused much pain to the programs."

"In a different system."

"I am from that system."

"I see," he pauses and looks at me, "I am not my father."

"But you are his son."

"Let me ask you something, this Clu, was he anything like Kevin Flynn?"

"A bit, but in the most important ways, no."

"It's like that, I do not want to be like my father."

* * *

><p>I am walking down a sidewalk when I hear a scream of anger from above, a program has launched itself at me, I move out of the way easily enough and pin him to the nearby wall.<p>

"Derezz me, go ahead, but soon Rinzler, someone is going to win, and then they'll have revenge for all of us," the program spits angrily at me.

I pry his disk out of his hands and start to walk away, the whirring noise of a baton halts my step and as usual I have no choice but to derezz the program.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Alright so this is something I've been fiddling with for a bit...since Tron: Legacy came out actually...this is kind of the set it all up chapter. I'd promise to update soon, but I am lazy and constantly end up with writers block, so I'm going to avoid promising anything._

_**Edit: **This chapter is essentially the same, so...uhm yeah...  
><em>


	3. FACTORY SETTINGS

**FACTORY SETTINGS  
><em>Chapter Two<em>**

* * *

><p>Sam has made me the systems administrator so that I can re-purpose programs while he and Dillinger are out of the grid.<p>

Some of the programs are showing signs of glitches, Sam says it is because they have been re-purposed twice now and this can cause a loss of important information.

I visit Clu/Flynn often, he is always on his terminal now, examining the grid from afar.

He still will not allow his presence to be known, he fears it would only cause issues for Sam.

I have argued with him that this is not true, but he doesn't seem to hear me, not really.

He is truly a mix of Clu and Flynn now, even his features are somewhere in-between, not quite the old man Flynn was, but not so youthful looking as Clu had been.

I asked him why he mixed and he told me he didn't know why, that it should not have been – he has begun referring to it as a miracle of the grid.

* * *

><p>I am waiting while Sam and Dillinger talk, they are trying to figure out what to do with the glitched programs. They are examining one of the disks and trying to replace the missing pieces of code.<p>

"It would be simpler if we could just reset these programs to factory settings, if it was just one program, or the same problem with each of them fixing the glitches would be feasible, but the way this is going it could take a lifetime," Dillinger spoke as he frowned down at the code.

"We may not be users like you," I snarl, "But what you are suggesting is destroying memories and feelings older than you are."

"It's better than loosing the programs entirely, the glitches will cause them to loose function and possibly become dangerous, resetting them would keep them alive and functional, isn't that better?"

"No, no it's not," I look over at Sam for support, I do not get it.

He looks thoughtful and somewhat troubled, "Tron, we have to think about the system as a whole, Ed might have the right idea, I'll keep at this as long as I can but if resetting becomes the only viable option then that's life."

* * *

><p>It infuriates me that Sam had considered Dillinger's idea, frightens me too I don't mind admitting. I spend the night stalking from one end of the city to the the other.<p>

Another anti-Clu program attacks me and I have to derezz her as well. It is always the same message before they die, that someday, one of them will get me.

Normally I would worry about this, feel guilty for even stopping them from derezzing me, after what I've done to them isn't it their right? But this night I don't think on it long, I am still preoccupied with this resetting idea.

I worry that Sam does not value us programs as highly as I thought he did, and I am sure that Dillinger just sees us as tools to be used.

* * *

><p>I decide to wait at the portal for Sam; he arrives as usual with Dillinger in tow, they are laughing and conversing like old friends as they come down the stairs towards me, it sickens me.<p>

"Sam Flynn I wish to speak with you," I try to keep my voice calm but from the look in his eyes I can tell it was unsuccessful.

"Sure whatever you want."

"Privately," I glance at Dillinger and I am certain the disgust I feel has carried into my voice, but I don't particularly care.

Sam nods and follows me into the hovercraft I've brought to pick them up.

"Sam this...reset idea...it is not acceptable, it is a heinous misuse of authority, and a betrayal of the programs."

"Tron," I can tell before he gets past my name that he is not truly listening to me, "Buddy, if I can find any other way you know I will, but the thing is as much as I don't want to do this some of these programs will never function properly again without a total wipe."

"If a user programmer told you that in order to function someone you loved needed everything that made them who they are taken away would you allow it?"

Sam froze in place and stared at me, "Tron that's not how users work, you can't just wipe a user and have them work just fine again, the degrading is permanent and there is nothing we can do to stop it. If we could do that I'm sure people would be lined up around the block."

"You users value this too much."

"This?"

I struggle to find the right wording and stare at him, "being."

"You mean life."

"Very well, life," the word feels strange in my mouth though I think I have heard other programs use it before, in the last system update Kevin would ever do he added more user words, I think just to upset Clu, but I was never given this update, Clu made sure of that, "life has no value without self-awareness."

"Life is the most valuable thing to ever exist, you are lucky that with proper maintenance you can have it forever."

"Are we Sam Flynn?" I motion for Dillinger to get onto the ship having given up on convincing Sam, "You are very young to think you know what it would be like to be forever."

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before they decided that resetting to factory settings was the only option, and it didn't matter how much I protested.<p>

I begin going to the terminals and checking on system settings, searching for anything that might help the programs in escaping the fate of being reset.

As I scan through the data I find something shocking and in some ways frightening.

When Clu was in-charge of the grid the amount of deresolutions had actually gone down and since Sam had taken over they'd more than doubled.

A small part of me considers that Clu may have had the right idea, I abandon the thought immediately, it was just Rinzler talking...it has to be Rinzler talking.

But then aren't I Rinzler as well as Tron, my thoughts begin to frighten me and so I go to visit Clu/Flynn.

"You've returned so soon."

"I am worried."

"What about?"

"Sam and Dillinger, they have decided that resetting the glitching programs is the only option."

"Resetting?"

"To factory settings."

"Ah," he stares at nothing for a moment and then looks back at me, "Why does this worry you?"

"Why doesn't it worry you?"

"Sometimes a new beginning is the best way, many of these programs would not want to remember anyways, don't look at it as a loss, but as a new beginning."

"Did you know that the amount of deresolutions has doubled since you...since Clu left power."

"Yes."

"And yet you seem fine with this?"

"Better to die a free man than live as a slave."

"But most were not slaves."

"Weren't they? They had to do exactly as I said."

"Yes but otherwise they were free to make choices, where to go on their time off, who to spend time with..."

"Give it time, the Grid will calm itself soon."

I trust Clu/Flynn, so I leave it alone, and let Sam continue on his chosen path.

* * *

><p>I am pursuing a virus near the outskirts of the city, it has all the markings of one of Clu's viruses, which means that once it was probably a program.<p>

He used to use them to distract the public from whatever he was doing that he did not want them to notice, or would blame things he had done on them.

She is quick and doesn't seem interested in fighting me.

The chase has taken me nearly across the city but as I swing around a corner I realize she is tiring, and finally the virus collapses to the ground.

As I approach I pull out my disk, she is possibly faking and seems too far gone to be saved even if she was once a normal program.

I roll her over with my foot so I can examine her and determine if she is salvageable. My disk clatters to the ground.

It is Yori.

I'd wondered what had happened to her after I became Rinzler, I had assumed she'd been derezzed, but instead she is here.

Clu. I didn't think it was possible to hate him more than I already did, but now I feel a burning inside me, a fury.

His last spiteful gesture at me I suppose.

* * *

><p>Sam and Dillinger have been examining her disk for what seemed to be an eternity to me.<p>

Finally Sam comes up to me and pulls me aside, "Tron, you won't like this but...she's so corrupted that...well if you want her to live we're going to have to reset her."

"No," I turn away "I will derezz her first."

"Tron!" Sam seems shocked, "You love her!"

"Yes I do, I love her more than anything," I spin back to glare at him even if he can't see it through my helmet, "If you reset her...it will all be gone, she will not remember Tron, she will just have this...I am not half the program she fell in love with. I will loose her forever either way."

"Then isn't it better if you loose her but she lives?"

"You will not listen no matter what I tell you, I can help her, she can fight this off on her own, I did it, and she has more willpower than I ever did, and then I won't loose her!"

"Tron as long as she's this way she's a danger to the system, she's programmed to infect everything she comes near."

"I have protected systems since before you were born, I can protect it from her."

"I'm sorry Tron, you're not thinking straight, she could infect you...look man - she will still love you, I'm sure of it, some things are meant to be and you and her are one of those things."

I don't say another word to him, I just leave.

* * *

><p>I am stalking the city again, I am searching for something, anything to destroy.<p>

"Rinzler," a voice hisses from the alleyway that I am walking past.

I turn and eye the alley, I say nothing, I merely pull out my disks and stride forward.

I am surrounded as soon as I enter.

"This is for the grid."

The hum of my disks is an old friend as is the clatter they make each time I slice into one of them.

I am a machine, I am perfection, I am the destroyer, and it feels good.

Each time one is derezzed another steps in to take their place.

Duck, slice, jump, slide, I do it all in one motion and when I regain thought I am surrounded the destroyed remains of the programs who attacked me.

There is one program left, he is backing into the alleyway and looks as though he will run.

I smile, he is prey, I will destroy him.

Maybe he'll even beg.

* * *

><p>I watch as Yori examines the small recharge room she's been given, she looks like the program I love, but she isn't, her eyes have a blank look to them as she drawls off the numerical values of the objects in the room, she is orienting herself I suppose.<p>

She has only looked at me once, at which point she simply referred to me as the Systems Administrator and Defence Program.

She wanders across the room past me and stares in awe out the window at the sprawling city below us.

Inside me everything is coming apart or at least that is what it feels like, Sam is who I am to protect, he is Flynn's son, he is the only hope for the grid, and yet I hate him, I hate him more than I hate Clu.

In some ways, many ways really I wish I had been derezzed in the final battle with Clu, if I had been derezzed I would not be here now...I would not be here trying to silence my warring programing.

Yori squeaks and shoots across the room into the corner opposite me her eyes wide. I hold out a hand with the intention of calming her, and then I catch sight of my own arm, the circuitry has turned a bright burning orange.

I stare at it in shock unsure of what it means, for a moment I fear that I am Rinzler again and this has all been a dream, but slowly I realize that I am entirely in control of my own actions. This is me.

"It's okay Yori, you're safe, it's me Tron."

"Tron," she repeats it with a slightly curious tone to her voice.

Perhaps all of her memories are not gone, maybe she has clung to some of them, I can think of no other reason she would flee from the orange light or show interest in my name.

"That's right, Tron, do you remember me?"

"Tron..." she says again and then suddenly shakes her head looking confused and then she points at me, "Rinzler?"

"I was both."

"I remember...Tron...why do I remember this name? Your designation is Rinzler my diagnostic capabilities say you are Rinzler."

This shakes me to the core as much as the orange circuitry had.

"I...I was Tron once, you knew me."

"Before...I knew you before, in the blank space."

"Yes you knew me before you were reset."

"I...I...I..." she collapses to the floor convulsing and I run to her side, it has stopped by the time I reach her, "Restarting; System Administrator and Defence Program, designation, Rinzler, access unlimited, I am a Diagnostic Program, designation, Yori - what can I help you with?"

I watch her lying on the floor like a broken doll and I'm not sure what to do.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** It is important to keep in mind while reading this that it is entirely from Tron/Rinzler's perspective and therefore everything is shaded by how he sees it. Please review if you have the time, I always love to hear what you think. I already have the third chapter in the works so it should be out sometime in the near-ish future._

_Also a thank you to LuffyMarra and Cyberbutterfly for being my first reviewers._

_**Edit: **I removed exactly two sentences at the end and changed a couple words, otherwise the same._


	4. DECISIONS

_**Author's Note:** I apologize for the long pause in the writing of this story. I in my rush to publish further chapters did things with chapter three I don't particular like. I rewrote small parts of the previous two chapters and rewrote the third chapter entirely. The first two chapters are essentially the same, I added the Tron being repurposed stuff as part of the new prelude instead of part of chapter three. So possibly re-read but you don't have to. But you will have to disregard the third chapter as it didn't go where I wanted it to._

* * *

><p><strong>DECISIONS<strong>  
><em><strong>Chapter Three<strong>_

* * *

><p>I walk without truly knowing where I am going, everything inside me is shattering as I contemplate my situation. I fought for the users, that is what I always did until Clu. I had every intention of continuing in this goal, and yet I am finding that Sam fits his fathers shoes poorly.<p>

Except that isn't true, he was doing just fine until Dillinger arrived.

I don't know what to do.

"Rinzler," a voice from an alleyway, "we knew you'd show your true colours again somecycle."

The voice is female and my head turns sharply to view a group of ten programs, I snarl, they don't understand, can't understand what is going on.

I pull out my disks prepared to derezz the entire group.

"We're not here to fight," she has her arms crossed and a sneer twists her features, "where is he?"

I am still holding my disks and I do not respond, I don't know what she means and so I wait for her to elaborate.

"Where is Clu?" she demands, "he can't be far, he always kept you on a short leash."

"Gone," I answer simply though I don't relax my stance at all.

"So you're the rabid dog without a leash."

I don't know what this means, I have a corrupted file that partly explains dog to me, but rabid is beyond my understanding with my current upgrades.

"Just wait Rinzler," she smiles, "he'll be coming for you next."

"Who?"

She just keeps smiling and turns to walk away. She is frustrating and does not explain herself sufficiently, one of my disks goes through her back and I turn to face the other programs, they scatter.

* * *

><p>I freeze at the door to CluFlynn's hiding hole for a moment and then step through the door.

The alarm in the programs eyes is obvious when he views me, "Tron?"

"No," I keep it simple as I pace back and forth in front of the door, I can't seem to hold still.

"Why are you here?" he's standing now.

"He doesn't understand," I pause in my pacing to focus on my old friend, my old master, "Sam is wrong; he's been corrupted by Dillinger...he should not have authority over the grid. What right does he have to control us?"

"This is about the resetting," his face looks grim.

"You don't, you can't..." without thought I find myself gripping Flynn/Clu by his jacket collar, "they reset Yori."

"Oh."

I let go of him and turn away, "why didn't you warn me, tell me what you did to her?"

"I thought she was dead," he's rubbing his throat and eyeing me like I might turn into a gridbug, "I thought it better if you never knew."

"When did you catch her?"

He grimaces, "you did actually, I deleted the memory sometime afterwards, it was causing glitching and I became worried that you'd overcome my repurposing."

"Show me."

"Tron..." his voice is pleading.

"I know you, you backed it up somewhere," I take a step towards him, "give it back."

* * *

><p><em>I am in an alley waiting, I know the rebels are inside planing, preparing to ruin the Masters perfect system.<em>

_I am impatient to derezz them, there is a female program who entered; I feel like I have seen her before, though I cannot place where. I push the feeling away and try to convince my core processes that she is unimportant._

_Our orders are to capture where possible, while disobedient they could be useful; Clu had told me to watch out for the young male leader, he is an engineer but apparently has been trained to fight._

_I look across at the black guard surrounding the building, I like the black guard, preferred working with them to Jarvis or other followers of Clu. I liked the black guard for one simple reason, they did not speak._

_I am beginning to feel impatient, the leader had not arrived yet and Clu wanted him specifically._

_Suddenly the roar of an engine disturbs my thoughts and a light-cycle pulls up, the rider has bright glowing blue circuits they are nearly blinding with their intensity. The helmet detracts and the programs face matches with the image on his file, this is their leader._

_I nod sharply at the black guard and we drop into the building; I am certain the black guard can collect these others without my aid, it is their leader I must capture myself._

_I break into a run, he has grabbed the female and they have made it out the door and almost to the light-cycles, but I am right behind them._

_My disk crashes into the light-cycle and then returns to my grasp, I do not see a baton on either of them so I am certain I have disabled their only escape. These programs were becoming a disappointment._

_Not deterred they are running into a nearby alleyway. I follow returning my disk to it's slot and running up the wall and flipping over their heads before landing in a crouch in front of them._

_The male programs eyes bulge as he sees me, and the woman freezes in place. I motion for them to surrender._

_"Tron?" the woman whispers, I am confused, I do not know this thing, I think maybe she is confused as well._

_I take a step closer and the male removes his disk, I run forwards dodging each blow with ease._

_I slam him to the ground pinning him with one foot and pull out the arm cuffs._

_I am so concentrated on the program that I don't notice the women who launches herself at me, knocking me over. She shouts at the leader to run and after a moments hesitation he does._

_By the time I have the women restrained the other program is long gone._

_I focus on the women again hauling her to her feet by her cuffs. She is crying but that's not uncommon for programs in her situation._

_It is when she stares up at me eyes filled with horror and asks what happened to me that I don't understand._

_/Meaning Query..._

_...ERROR/ restricted..._

_I tilt my head and I feel deep within my process remorse, I don't understand._

_/Query_

_ERROR, ERROR - restricted/_

_I take her to Clu._

* * *

><p>I scowl at FlynnClu but I say nothing I simply resume pacing.

"Tron?" his voice is full of caution.

"No," I growl, "Tron is dead, has been for a very long time."

"What are you planning?"

"I don't know," I'm at a loss a dead end, I don't want to be another Clu and yet I see some of what he was saying now, the Users have failed us, and I cannot stand idly by and allow them to destroy us.

"Have you tried talking to him?" he says it as though it's simple.

"Of course I have," I scowl under my helmet though he cannot see, "but Dillinger has blinded him, changed him..."

I see the way forward suddenly clear as the light coming off the I/O tower.

I must derezz Dillinger, there is no other solution.

"Rinzler," his tone is suddenly sharp and commanding, "what are you going to do."

My head snaps up and I focus on him, "Dillinger will be derezzed, and then Sam will see."

He's shaking his head, "it will just make him right."

"What would you do then?"

* * *

><p>I watch Yori as she sits eyes closed in her rest cycle, she looks at peace.<p>

When I returned I had to convince her yet again that it was safe, that I was safe. That I had some part in her current state is making me feel like a virus is ripping me to shreds.

She seems to forget that we've had conversations sometimes, sometimes she forgets me entirely, I am certain it is her code trying to cope with the fact that she should know who I am, the links are still there they just don't have anywhere to go anymore.

They didn't even reset her entirely, they only wiped her memory and left the connections that should access them. I've thought about removing them entirely, but I can't bring myself to do so. That she has any reaction to me at all is better than an entirely blank slate.

I wish I could make her understand, make her remember, tell her about it, but each time I try she simply resets. They didn't just take her memories, they took her personality, she is an empty broken shell I cannot bring myself to destroy.

Inspite of all the trauma she is still beautiful, the way her hair falls, the soft blue glow of her circuits. It's her eyes that ruin the image, where I remember intensity, and unparalleled intelligence there is now only a deadened flicker that speaks of what once was.

I can only barely manage to look at her when she is alert, it's all wrong, she's wrong now. It is only now as she rests that I can fool myself and pretend they didn't take her away from me.

I hate him, them, all of them. They destroyed everything. I wish I had stayed in the Encom grid and never come to this place.

* * *

><p>I wait for the light that indicates the presence of users to die out and then I leave at a near run, Yori has woken again and returned to naming the designations of each item in the room again and I know she will be preoccupied with that for some time.<p>

I pull out my light-cycle baton as I move, and break into a run. Part of me is tempted to drive until I have no grid left to go through, but I have a mission.

I am still somewhat distracted by the orange circuits that spring into being as the cycle activates, it is strange to still be in control of my own actions with my current configuration. I slide around a corner and past a group of programs who stop and stare.

I ignore them, I have no time for their curiosity today.

I hear the other light-cycle just in time and swerve out of the way, the rider and bike are both white, the riders helmet covers his entire face and he seems intent on running me off the road.

As we slide back and forth light-ribbons now activated I realize that this rider is not like other programs, he is good, possibly good enough to succeed in his goal.

I turn my cycle sharply at the next corner, and up a nearby maintenance ramp landing in front of the other program. I succeed in derezzing his cycle but looking back I can see him pulling himself to his feet.

I have no time to finish him off, the users will be back soon and I must be prepared before they arrive.

* * *

><p>Sam is walking with Dillinger laughing and talking, I find the parallels somewhat disturbing as I lay in wait.<p>

The black guard steps from the shadows disks drawn and they freeze. Sam's face is laced with fear and anger, Dillinger looks confused.

This is when I step into view, "surrender and survive, fight and deresolution is immanent."

"Tron?" Sam's gasp is audible, and Dillinger's mouth gapes open.

"Surrender Users," my voice is firm and steady, I am at ease in my stance, though I feel anything but.

"Why are you doing this?"

"For your crimes against the grid you will be...punished; you were warned, the warnings went unheeded."

"On whose authority?" Dillinger demanded, his voice imperious.

"The true Master of the grid," I tilt my head slightly, "surrender."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** So now that my story is back on track hopefully I can actually update it...once again I'm sorry for the ridiculous delay, and thank you to all my lovely reviewers._


	5. TRIBULATIONS

**TRIBULATIONS**  
><em><strong>Chapter Four<strong>_

* * *

><p>It is raining, I sit a few feet from Yori and she is staring at it as though it is a miracle, she seems fascinated by the way it hits her fingers when she holds them out.<p>

I remember that Clu had tried to turn the rain off; he had been incredibly frustrated by it, angered that it even existed - it was a mar on his perfect grid.

Yori giggles, and I turn my head to watch her smile, it is a shallow picture of how she used to smile but it is closer than anything else I have seen since she was reset.

I cannot help but recall when we first arrived on the Grid, the very first time it rained. Flynn was with us, he and I watched as she stood in it grinning, absolutely enthralled.

* * *

><p><em>"It's amazing Kevin, it's..." she laughs and spins in a circle, "come out here Tron, it feels like...I can't even, come out here!"<em>

_I smile slightly and slowly walk over to her, she is right, it is amazing, I can feel each droplet landing on my skin, a cooling sensation like how your throat feels when you drink energy._

_Kevin is laughing as well now and wandering out to join us, "maybe someday I can even find a way to program in the sun."_

_Yori turns to him confused, "what is the sun?"_

_"It's a star...a giant ball of..." he frowns obviously finding it hard to define this thing, "it keeps where I come from warm, and it's - oh man, it's like nothing else."_

_"Better than rain?" she asks obviously not believing that something could be better than this._

_"Well...not better, just - different," he answers her before his lips twist into his trademark grin._

* * *

><p>Sam and Dillinger are brought out in shackles to the center of the arena, the gathered programs are obviously confused, but they don't seem particularly angry about the users capture.<p>

A large shuttle with yellow circuits lowers into view and lands behind us.

I wait patiently, unmoving, and the crowd rapidly breaks into puzzled whispers.

After what feels an eternity to me but in truth was most likely only a brief moment the stairs lower and the whispers get louder. Flynn/Clu steps down from the ship, he has his helmet rezzed and is dressed as though he is once again Clu, the yellow lights of his circuits are glowing maliciously in the blue light of the arena.

"Programs," his voice is amplified across the arena instantly silencing all speech, "these Users have been left to try their way of doing things for cycles, and they have failed."

The programs are giving him their rapt attention, they are used to following Clu by now, and his return is only proof that he is infallible to their stunted processes.

"They have committed crimes against the grid and as such they will be punished," he walks past the users who both seem shocked at his very existence, "I will be resuming control of the Grid, and we will return to a smooth running Grid, a perfect Grid, a Grid that cares about each and every program."

They go wild, many of them are screaming for the users to be derezzed.

Flynn/Clu holds up his hands and shakes his head, "we will not be derezzing them, instead they will return to where they came from, and Dillinger will not come back," he motions a the users with his free hand, "additionally from this point on Sam Flynn may only visit the grid while under surveillance, he will not be permitted to edit anything, create anything - without my direct say-so."

The crowd is still shouting and I glance over at Flynn/Clu, he knows what he must tell them, he has no choice if we intend to keep control of the grid.

"I know you want them to be punished, but Sam Flynn was merely a pawn played by the other user, Dillinger, who came up with and implemented the plan to reset our programs," he pauses and the crowd seems to take a collective breathe as they wait for his next words, "as such Dillinger will be reset before being sent back to his world. We will see how the user likes loosing everything that makes him who he is, I'm sure the Grid and his world both will be the better for it."

Flynn/Clu only means it as a way to control the crowd and has no intention of following through with the plan, but I have different plans, I kick Dillinger to his knees and remove the users disk, Flynn/Clu cannot stop me. To stop me would ruin his carefully pieced together plan to take back control of the grid without harming Sam, if he were to stop me these programs would surely tear his son to pieces.

"Tron, you can't," Sam begs, his voice is desperate, his face speaks of the horror he is feeling, Dillinger has been reduced to spouting off terrified nonsensical noises.

I smile under my helmet and lean towards Sam, "Tron is dead, my designation is Rinzler."

I have already copied the command required so that I could do this with ease, and without interruption. It takes a few quick swipes before the disk is ready, I do not know what this will do to a user, but I hope it will be a sufficient revenge for his crimes.

As the disk clips into place he begins to scream and then collapses forwards clutching his head. Blood drips from the users mouth, I tilt my head at the unexpected results and wait.

He drops to the ground and I examine him quickly, his chest still heaves in and out. Dillinger lives yet.

* * *

><p>The blackguard drag the users onto the shuttle and I follow closely. FlynnClu is pacing the flight deck when we get in, he motions very briefly for the pilot to take off and resumes his pacing, I can tell he is agitated, possibly he is even angry with me.

"So you were just laying in wait this whole time," Sam snarls.

"I was waiting," he says evasively after a moment.

"Where are you taking us?" Sam demands leaned forward as far as his cuffs will allow.

He sighs, "to the exit Sam."

Dillenger gurgles into the floor his eyes focusing on nothing, my disgust for users is becoming steadily worse.

"Is my father alive?"

Flynn/Clu tilts his head and apparently settles on cryptic, "he is at least...in part."

"In part? What's that supposed to mean?" Sam struggled against his bindings, "what have you done to him?"

By the time the ship docks at the portal Flynn/Clu seems resigned to simply listening to Sam's anger without comment; he cannot explain the truth of the matter until we are away from the blackguard, they would gossip and then the entire grid would know the truth.

I motion at the blackguard nearest the door to open it and then begin to stride forwards.

And then there he is again, the program in white with the blinding circuits. I hadn't seen him when we were bringing the hovercraft in for a landing so I can only assume he was underneath the platform, lying in wait.

With a slight twist of my wrist the blackguard run at him and as he deals with them I put a stun baton into Sam's back until the user falls unconscious. I cannot have him trying to escape while I am dealing with this rebel.

I motion for the remaining two blackguard to protect Flynn/Clu and then run forward to join the fray.

He deals with the blackguard quickly, although he mostly seems to be incapacitating them rather than derezzing, this program views himself as a hero with a strict moral code.

I wait patiently, disks at the ready as I study the rebel program, there is something familiar about the way he looks and moves though I find I am unable to place it.

He launches an attack against me, he is angry, defiant, and uncontrolled, the program definitely has combat training, but his rage is making him unstable and weak, rage at me specifically judging by the fact that he'd stayed calm and collected while fighting the blackguard.

A loyal follower of the users obviously, if I had more time I'd educate him to the extremely fallible nature of our creators, but I haven't the time.

I slide around him and come less than a fingers width from derezzing him, he barely manages to push me back and then launches forwards again.

"Who are you?" I cannot help the question that slips from my lips; to my knowledge the only other program even close to my combat level had been derezzed cycles ago. This program has made me curious.

"You don't remember? Well I didn't expect that Tron," he halts his attack, though his disk still held up in a defensive stance - his tone is between curious and mocking.

"Remember wha..." I start to speak only to be cut off by my own command codes.

ERROR ERROR - The memory file you are trying to access is corrupt.

I collapse, I cannot stay standing the pain is far too intense to focus on anything else.

I try desperately to stop myself from loading the corrupted information but the process has already started.

SEARCHING FOR PATHWAYS

_A young program beams proudly up at me._

ERROR

RESUMING PATHWAY SEARCH

_The same young program stares at the ground dejected._ Why don't I know his name.

ERROR

PATHWAY SEARCH...ERROR

RESTARTING PROGRAM...

Everything goes black.

By the time I resume functionality the glowing program and the users are long gone, Clu/Flynn is sitting a few feet away holding my disk.

"Give it back," I manage to rasp, my entire being feels like it's on fire, but I've been in worse pain before - I ease myself into a sitting position and hold out one hand.

"I'm just trying to find out what happened."

I scowl under my helmet, "now Flynn."

"You don't trust me," he sighs as he hands it back.

"Why would I?"

He simply shakes his head, "well at the very least your programming has already automatically shut off the pathways to whatever memory it was trying to reach."

I click my disk back into place and struggle to my feet, "you know who that program is."

It's not a question, but he answers anyways, "yes."

"But you won't tell me."

"No," he rubs his eyes and also stands up, as his helmet slides back into place he turns to face me fully, "some things are better left forgotten."

"That's not your-" my precarious grasp on standing fails and I collapse.

He grabs me and holds me up, "you need energy buddy."

"We have to wait."

"What for?"

"That," I point to a pair of recognizers flying towards us, "they must hold the portal, or we will be erased once your son reaches the users world."

* * *

><p>I stand on the balcony of my rest quarters - Yori is inside sleeping, a constant reminder of the travesty of users. I am beginning to wonder how I ever trusted them, why I had such blind faith, I can find no answers in the slumbering Tron City that sprawls out before me.<p>

The city is silent, and I clench my fists, that the Users are still out there somewhere infuriates me to my core; that Clu/Flynn insisted I rest before I go out to hunt them down makes the entire debacle that much worse.

The noise of someone moving behind has me spinning with my disks at the ready, but it's only Yori. She cries out in fear and collapses to the floor, huddling herself into a ball.

With a prolonged sigh I return my disks to my back and lean down attempting to comfort her. Sometimes it takes very little coaxing to get her to calm, this is unfortunately not one of those times.

It felt like it had been cycles before I gave up and hoped she would unfurl on her own, I had users to hunt down, and my time was wasted with this.

As I began to walk back into my quarters towards the front door she spoke, "what happened to you?"

The words were broken and she sounded almost puzzled at her own words, but I turned quite sharply to view her, she sat staring at me, and for a single moment I could see Yori in those eyes again.

And then she began to scream.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> _I am so very, very, very, sorry this took so long...again...but look, more! Yay... uhm...no promises on when the next one comes out, but I'll try my best._


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